Creative Valentines for Kids

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” –Charles M. Schulz.

There’s no doubt about it, Valentine’s Day is full of love and chocolate—and if you have a house full of kids, it’s full of dozens of valentines, as well. Just remember, no rule says every valentine must contain a candy component. Here are some creative ideas to make your heartfelt contribution stand out from the rest.

Create rainbow heart crayons by melting down broken crayons into heart-shaped candy trays. Look for molds anywhere that cake decorating supplies are sold, like a craft supply or party store.

Create a bow and arrow with a pencil and a heart-shaped piece of construction paper. Write a personal message on the heart, punch a hole on each side, and stick a pencil through. This also works great with glow sticks or lollipops.

Create fun coupons of your own for your kids. For example, “Good For A Mommy and Me Day at the Park” or “Redeemable for One Afternoon of Watching Your Favorite Movies Together.”

Pass out individual boxes of cereal with a pink spoon and a note that says “I CEREALsly want to be your Valentine.”

Final tip: Send your kid to school with a valentine “mailbox” so they have something to carry all their goodies home in. We like this panda card holder.